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Muscle twitching

I have been experiencing muscle twitching all over my body for the past three years and three months now. I have seen the neurologist for my condition and I was told that it was benign fasciculations that I was experiencing and that it is harmless and will eventually go away. However I refused to believe that because I couldn't understand what was causing them and why they won't go away and how did I develop this condition. I was afraid unsure and didn't know what to do. The neurologist prescribed me citalopram for my twitches that didn't help so I discontinued the medication.I am now seeing a psychiatrist for my condition he told me that I was experiencing some anxiety and that is related to the muscle twitches. I didn't think that it was anxiety. I still don't believe it's anxiety. I thought that it was some side effect of medication that I was taking in the past that brought it on. However it started in my eyelids then it went to my stomach and other body parts my arms, legs, feet, shoulders, head. I have been dealing with this for so long and still is it's not as bad as it used to be but it is still present what is this and how can it be treated.
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I have muscle twitches everyday all day 7,8,9 a minute they jump all over... I also recently had a sleep study done that showed major central sleep apnea.. which means a neurological problem.... I am freaking out thiking its als ... any advise
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Avatar universal
I really think it's an anxiety disorder. (Prednisone) could have made it worse. (Steroid, which increases your stress hormones.) I have had the same symptoms for 4 years. I get almost no sleep ever. Mine is an anxiety disorder I got after trauma.
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358304 tn?1409709492
I started having muscle twitches like crazy after discontinuing ativan over 2 years ago. Ever since tapering down, and getting completely off, I've had muscle twitches daily, some days/weeks are really bad. It happens ALL over my body, even my tongue twitches! lol.

Forever, I blamed it on ativan withdrawal, and it could have been a side effect that may not ever leave. HOWEVER, it also could just be just BFS. The twitches don't hurt, nor do they really bother me at all. I've learned to ignore them. My Dr. said they are nothing to worry about at all, so I don't. :)

The past week, they have been not noticeable at all. In times of stress they do tend to be more active. Or if I'm not getting good sleep.

Do your best to know that it's NOT harmful, and you've gotten PLENTY of reassurance from your Dr.

BFS is a legit thing. But it's nothing harmful. It's totally benign. :) Peace and Love.
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Avatar universal
It is best for you to start your own post if you want someone to answer your question listed at the end. This is poconoc's thread so it is too confusing if people start answering 2 people's issues on the same thread.
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The doctor's told you it is harmless.  There is nothing wrong except hypochondria.  Get off these boards, go out get a life and you will forget these twitches.  Harsh but true.
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I've recently started having tingling in my arms and legs muscle tension tension head ache that hasn't gone in weeks no serious pain but like a heavy ness and slight ear ringing blocked nose also slight sinus like the sensation of butterfly's in my stomach arm and leg muscle twitch now and again and my chin my doctors done a full blood count and urine test no abnormal tags found I've had the done three time buy different doctors and all clear every time I also get the sensation I want to cry but can't and find sleep had cause my mind seems to race my doctor has said I'm suffering from anxiety/ depression can this be cured???
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I have a question that needs to be responded to. I would appreciate it if you assist me in doing that.
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I have been seeing the chiropractor for 3 months and some of the twitching has decreased the twitching in the eyelids has stopped but I still feel muscle twitches in my limbs arms, legs, face, ankles etc. I am still thinking about the anxiety that my doctor said that it could be. However my blood work seems fine my magnesium is good as well as my potassium those seems to be the culprits of twitches but it's not the case. Another thing could the twitching be related to dental products like lidocaine things that dentist use to numb you for fillings the reason why I am asking is because I have been seeing dentists alot for root canals, filings and treatments. Can mercury fillings cause muscle twitching. I am concerned because everytime I go to the dentist and they inject the numbing medication I feel tense and I start twitching could this be related in any way. Another could sitting in front of the computer for hours cause the muscle twitching.
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This is tedabell reaching out to you in reference to my post.
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I am not sure about the symptoms that I am experiencing if it's anxiety that I am experiencing would the twitching come after or before. It's hard to tell if it is anxiety I am aware that muscle twitching is a symptom of anxiety. I started having the muscle twitching in September 2009. I was feeling like myself then with the twitching then as the years went on I started feeling not like myself. Could it have been anxiety all along or did the worrying about the twitching cause the anxiety.
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480448 tn?1426948538
Yes, yawning can be a symptom of anxiety, especially if your anxiety causes you to feel as though you're having trouble breathing.

Sounds like you've really been through an awful lot.  More than most people who have to deal with in a lifetime, let alone in such a short period of time.  I'm so sorry you went through all of that.

If these symptoms surfaced after all of your personal losses, anxiety WOULD make a lot of sense.
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I would appreciate if someone in the anxiety community respond to my question.
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I have a very important question relating to anxiety. I yawn a lot does that deal with anxiety in any way. I do it a lot through out the day and don't feel tired. I find that strange what could that be related to. It has been going on for a long time now.
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I was taking advair and prednisone for breathing because I was told at The Center For Asthma and Allergy that my breathing was poor and that I was breathing like a 90 year old and I had asthma. So I started the advair in April 2008 and only used it till June because I didn't think that I had asthma. I never took it again then I was using a morning after pill during that time for preventing pregnancy. The twitching started September 2009. Before that my house was set on fire in December 2006. Then my father passed away from a stroke in 2008. After that I lost my boyfriend from pancreatic cancer in February 2011. So it's hard to determine what the cause is. But when I mentioned my symptoms to my doctor he told me that I may be experiencing some anxiety and told me to see a psychiatrist because what I was explaining to him sounds like anxiety.
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480448 tn?1426948538
You are getting plenty of sleep.  There have been numerous studies that indicate that the amount of sleep a person requires will vary greatly from person to person...and that the old standard of NEEDING 8+ hours of sleep may not be that accurate.  If you said you were only getting 2 hours a night, I could see sleep being a concern...but I doubt the amount of sleep you're getting is a problem. 6-7 hours of sleep should be sufficient, unless the quality of sleep is horrible, where you're making up numerous times during the night....or having nightmares, etc.

You've had a lot of medical testing done, and it's good that they all came back normal.  These kinds of situations are indeed perplexing.  From what you've described, I too have a feeling this isn't anxiety.  At least anxiety didn't cause the twitching.  After this long, the stress of dealing with it may havce added some anxiety to the mix...but it doesn't sound like this is a symptom of anxiety.  

You mention in your OP that you were wondering if the twitching could be related to side effects of meds you had taken in the past. That was the first thing I wondered.  Depending on what meds you were on and for how long, that absolutely could be the cause.  Can you share what you had been taking prior to the twitching starting?

As for the Celexa, you weren't on it long enough to determine whether or not it would have helped you.  The SSRI antidepressants can take up to 4-6 weeks or more to start making obvious changes in mood and anxiety.
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I know that insufficient amounts of sleep can cause fatigue tiredness but do it affects the muscle like this.  If it does it has to be a extreme amount of sleep lost to be experiencing muscle twitching that is what I think maybe it is anxiety. I don't want to accept because I am aware that people that suffer from anxiety is  the last to know they think it is something else. I want to add that I live in a stressful apartment building  with a lot of noise and my mother stays with me. That can contribute to stress and anxiety right.
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Avatar universal
I bet allergies and food intolerance have nothing to do with twitching. Everyone gets twitches, but ignores them unless they are suffering from anxiety and think something could be wrong.
Your lack of sleep is more likely to be the culprit if indeed your twitching is excessive.
Why do you not get a full night of sleep?
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Avatar universal
I took citalopram two years ago for about three weeks then I stopped and decided to see what happen without medication.
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My sleep varies sometimes I get six hours sometimes I get seven hours. I hardly ever get eight to nine hours of sleep. I am aware that eight or nine hours of sleep is sufficient amount of sleep and does the body well. However could the muscle twitching be   related to allergies or food intolerances something I could be allergic to in The Food Group maybe. I don't know but I still haven't given up on this muscle twitching it bugs me but not as much as it used to. Like I said it affects me everyday but I am coping it is not the end of the world.
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There is no regulation for over the counter drugs. No guarantee of purity. None have been clinically tested so it can be the manufacturer's brother making the claim it has been proven to work. I doubt there is any way to stop twitching, and I sure wouldn't believe some witch doctor's claim his brother was cured.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/OPINION/11/23/frum.supplements.drugs/index.html




How much sleep do you get?
How many days did you take citalopram, 2 years ago?
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Avatar universal
Birdie I am a female the name probably threw you off. But do you think it is abnormal to be experiencing twitching for such a long time. If it is related to anxiety could this be so. I want some relief from this twitching but I must say it has decreased over the years which is a little relief but not completely ceased. Do you think some herbal supplements would help.
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Avatar universal
I have had numerous tests done MRI a Catscan nerve conduction studies test. They all came out normal. I have seen a neurologist a psychiatrist for anxiety which I am not sure I am experiencing. I am still seeing the psychiatrist for anxiety related condition that my primary physician said I may be experiencing..I was taking citalopram an antidepressant for anxiety about two years ago. I stopped taking it because it seem like it wasn't helping. I also started taking magnesium and B-12 vitamins to see if the twitching would improve it seemed like it was helping a little but it didn't. I also made a diet transition by eating lots of fruits and vegetables as well as nuts because I was thinking that maybe the twitching was a nutritional deficiency and I was lacking vitamins or minerals. I still haven't found a cause of the twitching but I do think it could be related to a side effect of medications I have taken in the past stress or even anxiety depression worrying or maybe tragedies that I have experienced in the past.
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Avatar universal
In his Dec 1 post he said ..."the neurologist for my condition and I was told that it was benign fasciculations that I was experiencing and that it is harmless and will eventually go away."
In his Dec 5 post the psychiatrist says he has anxiety
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